Love, Injuries and a Thirty Galleon Bet
by lostmidtranslation
Summary: Katie hears George busking for money, determined to earn some for the Yule Ball, just days before he asks her. Music and Moonlight are the perfect combination, right? Katie/George T for lang, Sexual References


_**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise, was created, invented or designed by JK Rowling. I just enjoy Making Katie and George fall in love**_

………………………………_**......**_

_**A/N A Katie/George Oneshot . I love these. They make me happy, and I totally haven't done this in so, sosososososo long. 7634 words. I'm so proud.**_

_**Enjoy it! This was a VERY much lot of hard work =D**_

**_And if you get the HUSTLE reference, let me know =)_**

_**xxx**_

…

She stared out of the window, unable to take her eyes off him. She closed her eyes, obsessed with the sound he was making. The chink of change hitting change interrupted his song, she opened her eyes and sighed.

"Thanks, Lee." His soft voice made her shake. "Every little helps."

"Why're you doing this, George?" And she could have sworn that at that second, he looked up into her window and stared into her eyes.

"Because… I'm flat broke and need to get some robes for the ball..." He laughed and looked up at Lee.

"You asked her yet?"

"Well… I was going to, but she had detention last night, and then this morning, she sort… she sort of ignored me."

_**-Katie-**_

I sighed as I looked down and watched the pair of them talk, in voices so low I couldn't hear properly. I sighed again and rolled my eyes, then shut the window and turned back to my bed, pulled out my potions homework and started work. I had eight inches left to fill and my handwriting was about half a centimetre thick. This could be a long, long, long afternoon.

I picked up my stuff and rolled my shoulder - it was still sore from this morning's practise - _although we didn't have Quidditch this year, so I don't know what Ange was playing at -_and carried my stuff down to the common room proper, so I could grab a table and get the essay done as soon as possible. Sighing, I set the ink and parchment down, getting straight to it.

Stupid Snape. I hated potions and was going to drop it after my OWLs. This was killing me, and not-so-softly, to be honest with you. I'd written maybe five of the final eight inches before there was a loud bang from the corridor and I jumped, throwing my ink bottle all over the page.

"Motherfu-" I turned around and was met with one of the Weasley twins barrelling into me and knocking me over so hard that I fell against the table, smacking my hip hard.

"Katie?" George tilted his head and looked down at me, blushing a bright, adorable red. It was only then that I realised he was lying on top of me. "Are you alright?"

"I think you may have broken my hip." I said as he leaned sideways, pressing his hand into the now surely-bruised flesh of my side.

"Which one?" He asked with genuine concern. I couldn't help grinning.

"The one you're leaning on."

He yelped and pulled away from me, sitting up abruptly and hitting his head on the table.

"Oh, shit, Katie, I'm sorry, mate… I-" I laughed and shook my head.

"Don't worry about it… where's your guitar?"

"Huh?" He looked at me for a long second, then smiled and blushed even darker. "Oh, right… you saw that, did you?" He looked down at the floor beneath his knees and smiled, "I just…"

"Don't explain yourself, mate. You've got quite a voice on you."

"Thanks." He blushed again. "I'm trying to make some money - for the ball."

"I don't know if I'm going to go." I blurted suddenly, and the look on his face was that of pure horror. "What, George?!"

"Katie, what… you can't not go to the Yule Ball."

"Why not?" I folded my arms as he rose and offered me his hand. I could get up myself, thank you very much. "I mean, it's not like anyone's going to miss me if I don't go… and it's expense and hassle, and-"

"We're all going as a group though, Katie. Come on, you've got to come!" He looked as though he was about to burst into tears, "Come on, Katie-"

"I… but, what'm I going to wear?!" I laughed lightly and then frowned as I took in the state of my potions essay. My mood snapped like Warbling Reeds in the winter, and I snatched it up, looking at the ink dripping from the bottom left hand corner of the sheet. "Jesus, George, even on your own you're destructive. Snape's gonna give me detention _again._"

"Sorry Katie." He frowned for a second then drew his wand and waved it over my essay. To my surprise, the dark blue stains disappeared and I could read my dodgy handwriting once again. "All better?"

I smiled at him and nodded, watched him grin at me and wrap his arms around me. Reflexively, I put my head onto his shoulder and returned the hug, his hands slid down to the small of my back and I pulled back, assuming the hug was over. He didn't move, simply locking his fingers together and holding me there for a long second.

"George?" He didn't respond as his brother shouted his name, he was still looking down into my eyes, as though he was trying to work something out. I let out a light sigh and he cocked his head again.

"George?" I tried this time, "You're staring." _Not that that's a problem. _"And Fred wants you." He shook his head to clear himself from the fog he had in his brain, then, almost reluctantly, dropped his hands and blushed bright pink again.

"Sorry, Kat." He paused and looked down at my essay for a second. "You should probably get that done, eh? Snape'll murder you." He bit his lip and looked down at the floor, then smiled up at me. "Later, Katie."

He was gone before I could even say bye, and I was left confused, a little hurt, and more in love with him than I had ever been before.

Sighing, I set myself back down and looked at my essay. Three more inches. _Kill me now._ I wrote another seven lines, and that was an inch and three quarters. _Ok, one more inch. _I egged myself on, determined to finish this so I could be done with it and go upstairs to sleep. Damn.

_**-George-**_

"What the hell do you want?" I growled at my twin. He frowned and shrugged.

"Bagman sent us another letter, told us we weren't getting any of the gold-"

"You couldn't have told me that later?" there was a long pause and he looked at me. "Seriously, I thought I was getting somewhere with Kat there."

He rolled his eyes at me and his top lip curled slightly. I hated it when he smirked.

"Ooh, you going to ask her out?!" He grinned, "_Ooh, Katie, you wanna go to the ball with me?_" He put on a high falsetto and grinned as he spoke again, "Oh George?!" He mock-swooned and fell on me. I punched him in the shoulder and he groaned.

"Well." I frowned and made a face, "You deserved that one."

"Pshaw, little bro-"

"Two and a half minutes littler, thank you very much-" He punched me back and we shouted and punched between each other until I heard a small noise of indignation and turned to see Katie standing over us - _when had we ended up brawling on the floor? -_ scowling heavily. I rolled away from Fred and looked at him, scowling to match her expression, "Hi Katie." I could feel the deep blush creeping up into my cheeks, and looked away for as long as I possibly could.

"Guys, could you find it in your little ginger brains to shut up and let a person do some work?"

"Never, captain!" Fred saluted from his position, spread-eagled on the floor.

"I-umm… sorry Kat." I looked down at the carpet, catching the smirk on Fred's face as I did so. _So whipped_ he mouthed, and I kicked him lightly. He feigned severe hurt and I caught Katie's slight frown as she considered me, looking me up and down for what felt like ten minutes, but was probably half a second at most.

"It's OK." Her hair had fallen from its bun at the base of her neck, and I reached forward, over Fred, to brush the few loose strands behind her ears. She went bright pink and looked at me for a while, then looked away, down to my brother. "Up you get." She offered her hand and I swallowed, suddenly my throat was dry and I could feel the jealousy coursing through me. Fred took it and grinned as she hauled him to his feet, her face contorting with the effort, then she released him and looked at me, "Can I…" She looked down, "Can you help me with my essay? I'm a bit stuck… and you're the best at Potions I know-"

"What about me?" Fred pouted, "I'm just as good as him-" he tried to tug her into his arms and she freaked.

"I want George!" She yelped as Fred squeezed her and she flushed nearly crimson. "I-I mean… George is less…" She could tell she was digging herself a hole now. "Just… will you help me, Georgie?"

I found myself nodding viciously, following her across the room and blindly explaining some of the finer points of whatever potion her essay was about. Instead of actually paying attention to the work, I stared at her and imagined that she was my date for the Yule Ball. I imagined her hair flowing down her back, me running my fingers through it as we sat outside, under the stars… and… then she'd lean in and kiss me and-

"George… are you listening to me?" She was frowning at me slightly as I nodded.

"Yes." I smiled brightly, imagining her soft, pouting lips pressed against mine.

"Well, then what did I just say?"

We were interrupted slightly by the commotion across the common room.

"Oi! Ange?" Fred's voice made me turn. What the hell does he want with her?

"What?" She looked up from her homework and pulled a face at him.

"You wanna go to the ball with me?" Katie's mouth dropped open and I knew I was her mirror image. My face went red as Fred looked over at me and winked quite plainly at me. _Strike one. _

She, Angelina, looked my brother up and down for a long minute and smiled.

"Yeah, alright." and she turned back to her work.

Both Katie and I stared for a minute and then looked at each other.

"What was that about?" She murmured.

"Fuck knows." She frowned, looked between Fred and I and folded up her essay, then rose and slammed her fist into the desk, jerking me out of my daydream. "Where're you-"

"Goodnight, George." She murmured, her face falling slightly as her hair fell in front of her eyes. I reached over and grabbed her hand, rose, and pulled her back to me. "What?"

"I…" I closed my eyes and looked at her. "Come to the ball, Katie. Please."

"But… I can't go without a date… who will I dance with?" She smiled teasingly and I looked down at the floor, feeling my face flush. "I'll think about it, George."

"Hmm. OK." I hugged her goodnight and held her for a little longer than usual, before pulling her into a light kiss on her cheek. "Night, Katie."

She raised her fingers to where I had pressed my lips to her flesh and she looked down at the floor, going bright red as her flesh burned bright. She looked up and locked eyes with me, a small smile crossing her face.

"Good-g'night, George." She said softly and turned away, crossing the common room and stepping up the girl's staircase. Within a second, she had taken the stairs two at a time and turned back to wave goodnight to me, an ecstatic smile on her face.

-x-

I rubbed my eyes and pulled my jeans back on, hating the mornings more than Snape's lessons or Trelawney's… _visions_. I realised suddenly that it was the weekend before the Yule Ball, six days before I had to dress up and dance and not break my partner - because I knew, in my exuberance, that, much like Fred, I'd probably kill her.

I rubbed my eyes again, stretching as I sat up and searched for my black polo shirt, finally finding it hiding under Fred's bed, cleaning it quickly with a laundry charm, and tugging it on, appraising myself quickly in the mirror.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend, which pleased me somewhat, because it meant I could go into the village and cadge a Butterbeer from Ange or Alicia, and try and get my dress robes sorted out. Mum had sent us some, but Merlin, I wasn't going to wear those. They weren't even… normal. They were… ugh.

So I'd switched them for a neat black set which looked more like a muggle suit and would allow me to wear some smart trousers underneath. Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions: Hogsmeade Branch, was going to get a billion recommendations - this way I didn't have to stride into the hall alone, looking ridiculous with bright green frills and nasty fabric all over the place.

I'd still be going in without a girl on my arm, but that was beside the point. Pushing the door to the shop open, I smiled slightly to myself as I heard an extremely harried Welsh voice.

"Dear, I can't get this taken in by Wednesday. It's just not possible. It's a muggle style, it'll need to go to Londo-"

"But… it's the only chance I'll have to pick it up-"

"But Miss Bell, I can get one of the elves to bring it up-" I looked up to see Katie standing, hands on hips, looking put out.

"_Why _didn't you tell me that before?!" She groaned. "Of course." She nodded, "Could you please do that?"

"I'll make sure it's up at the school before six."

"Thank you." She smiled and went to turn, then stopped and looked back at the cashier, "And where were the shoes? I can take them now…"

I stepped back into the many rows of robes hanging from the ceiling so I could catch a glimpse of the colour of Katie's shoes - they'd match her dress robes for sure, and I smiled to myself as I watched the cashier open the box and pull out a shimmering gold shoe with red trimming. I swallowed hard imagining those shoes on her feet, elongating her legs right up to Merlin-knows-where, and stared at them intently as Katie handed over six galleons, nine sickles and two knuts for the shoes.

"How much will the dress be?"

"Thirty Galleons."

"_Fuck." _I heard her whisper it and she looked at the shoes. "Umm, is it alright if I pay for the dress on receipt?"

"Of course." She nodded, "I'll get that set up for you."

"Thanks." Katie nodded and turned away from the cashier, stepped away from the till and walked straight towards the door, pausing only to wish the woman a merry Christmas.

I stepped out of the shadows as soon as the door was closed, striding confidently to the till and grinning.

"Was that Katie Bell, just bought those shoes?" I found myself asking, as I drew my wallet from my back pocket.

-x-

_**Katie**_

I sat alone for a bit in The Three Broomsticks, looking at the mirror above the bar and wondering if anyone was going to ask me to the ball. It was a bit pathetic really, but I wasn't going to ask him. I couldn't ask George - he'd been adamant that the group would go as friends.

I sighed and looked into the glass of something-or-other that Madame Rosmerta had offered me. She'd said anyone friends with the Triwizard Champion Harry Potter deserved to get free drinks. I had tried to tell her we barely knew each other, but she wasn't having it, so, instead, I threw five sickles down on the bar and let her take it as a tip. My brain was working overdrive as I stared at the box that was sitting on the floor, housing the shoes that had cost me about ten percent of my budget.

I groaned to myself as the door to the pub swept open, and George practically bounced in, bringing a flurry of snow with him and making it melt almost immediately as he looked up at me and blushed. He swept over and sat down opposite me.

"This seat taken?"

"I guess it is now, eh, Weasley?"

"Katie, you sound like Wood."

"Well…" I grinned at him and he paled for a second. "I'm joking. God, Oliver was a right moron compared to y-" I cut myself off quickly and blushed, but thankfully, I think he missed what I nearly said. My fingers tightened against the glass and I went bright pink.

"I saw you come out of Madame Malkin's…" He said, and I flushed pink. "Did you get your robes?"

"Yeah." I nodded blindly again, "I picked up my shoes today." I aimed a kick at the box to direct George's attention to it, but got a bit violent and it fell to the floor, fell open, and my shoes were scattered across the floor.

"I've got them-" George practically dived to catch them. I blushed and stared at the table as he picked them up and said something.

"Sorry?"

"I said these are going to make you look beautiful."

"They're just shoes." I murmured.

"They'll make your legs look lovely-" and he slammed his face into his forehead, groaning, "I didn't mean it like that-"

"Shut up." I grinned at him, smiling lightly. "Thanks." but I gathered everything together and put it all into my bag. "I-I've got a lot of work left to do… I'll see you back up at the castle." I nodded, my face flushing, and I looked away, before finishing my drink and walking away.

Stepping out into the cold was a little horrible, especially as the heat on my face made the snow melt as soon as it hit me, and I could feel it dripping down my face as I walked up to the castle and slid across the steps, my shoes losing grip as I fell on the front steps and landed on my bum, hearing a crack in my ankle as I slid.

I must have sat there for fifteen minutes, just looking at my foot and groaning loudly as I did so. Angelina found me and helped me up to Madame Pomfrey, who was unimpressed with my "lack of care in such obviously dangerous conditions".

"Will you be able to fix this?" Angelina pointed at me generally, which really helped my self esteem at that point.

"Well, of course I will, but you'll need to wear a support for about six days. I've never been so good at fixing ankles. They're my… Achilles heel if you'll pardon the pun."

"Of course." Then I realised I'd need to wear the support for six days. "B-but that's when the ball is-"

"I don't care." Madame Pomfrey stated severely. I growled at her and she looked at me. "You will wear this brace," She conjured it and I swallowed, but as she slipped it around my ankle, it really didn't hurt any more, "And you will come back on Christmas Day to get it off."

"Yes Madame Pomfrey." I nodded and stood up. It hurt to put my full weight on it, but I figured it would for a few a minutes, then it settled, and my foot felt alright. I slipped my trainers back on and looked at the shoebox on the floor.

I might not get to wear those now.

-x-

I stepped into the common room and limped up to the desk in the corner. My desk. There was a big card on it, with my name written on it in glowing pink letters. I opened the envelope warily and tugged the card from it.

"_Dear Katie. Get well soon, and save a dance for me,"_ I murmured the words as I read them and smiled, recognising the handwriting almost immediately, and turning to the source.

"Hey, Kat." I smiled down at George as he sat on his favourite armchair. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, thanks." He grinned.

"Good." he nodded, then "You wanna sit?"

"I won't take your seat, George."

"Oh, no, sit here." He patted his lap and I almost laughed. "What?"

"Nothing." I smiled, then sat down across him. Reflexively, he wrapped one arm loosely around my waist, and I felt my face heat up as I leaned towards him slightly so I didn't fall on my arse on the floor. "Thanks for the get well card, George."

For a second, he tensed, then he nodded against the top of my head.

"Not a problem, mate. Will you save a dance for me then?"

"Of course." I nodded, "I'll save my last dance." I paused, "If I end up dancing. I wish she'd let me take this thing off." I shook my ankle and a shot of pain coursed through it. "Damn."

"You alright?" His arms tensed around me and I nodded slightly. "Good." another pause, "Katie… I…" I looked at him, he was smiling slightly, but bright red and embarrassed.

"You?"

"Listen… Lee asked Alicia to the ball. Fred's going with Ange. That just leaves you and me…and…" He took a deep breath, and looked out of the window. "I was wondering-" And I realised what he wanted.

"If I could find a date so you didn't have to babysit me all night? I'd rather not go, George. I know we can't go as a big group, but if you don't want me around, then you don't have to _wonder…_ just ask me straight out."

I threw myself off of his lap and collapsed to the floor, my ankle having given way as my weight hit it.

"_Fuck._" I muttered, then, when George launched to his feet to help me up, "No, don't help me George. I don't need it-" I tried to hit his hand away where he'd grasped my waist to help me up.

"I wanted to know if you wanted to go with me." he blurted to my hair as he pulled me up to my feet.

"Excuse me?" I actually couldn't believe he'd said it.

"I said, would you like to go to the ball with me?" He said, blushing up to the roots of his hair again.

"B-but I won't be dancing right-"

"So I won't be able to break you with my over-exuberance," He grinned and set me right on my feet. "Is it a yes, a no, or a … a… meh?"

"It's a…" I nodded, "Of course I'll go with you." I wrapped my arms around him and reached up to kiss his cheek.

"Wicked…" He smiled

"I'll see you later, George."

I stepped towards the dormitory staircase and smiled widely to myself as I heard George murmur some shout of happiness, then let out a low whistle.

I turned at the sound and he grinned at me, before closing the distance between us and wrapping his arms back around me.

"What?" I murmured.

"Nothing, Katie." He grinned, "Next time though, let me walk you back to the castle - I think I can protect you."

I smacked him on the arm, shook my head and turned back to limp up the stairs. Grinning all the while, smiling and giggling as soon as I fell back onto my bed and drew the four-poster curtains.

-x-

I rubbed my eyes and rolled over, staring at the pillow, my eyes wide and blurred as usual.

"George asked me to the ball." I whispered to myself. It was Tuesday, but it was the Christmas break, and so we could sit in the common room and do no work. I groaned as I hoisted myself up onto my elbows, before smiling to myself again and letting myself drop back to the mattress.

"George Weasley asked me out." I grinned again, half-praying it wasn't a dream.

Eventually, I threw myself sideways and up onto my feet, gathered something from my bag and went into the bathroom to change. Ten minutes later, I stumbled from the room and tripped down the stairs, throwing myself dramatically into an armchair. Onto something squishy.

"Jesus, Missus Woman!" Fred threw me from his lap and onto the floor. "What the hell are _you_ doing to _me_?"

"Sorry, Freddo, didn't see you there." I growled from my seated position on the floor.

"Well, then, I suppose that's alright." He nodded and went to offer me his hand to help me to my feet. I went to take it, but his hand was quickly knocked to the side by another, altogether more familiar one.

"Are you alright, Kat?" I looked up into a pair of identical faces, and for a split-second, I questioned what on earth was going on, whether my eyes were playing tricks on me or whatever, then I blinked and I saw George's face break into a hesitant smile, and Fred's all-out-lunatic-grin.

"I'm good," I took the pair of outstretched hands, and felt the pair of them tug me to my feet. George's arms moved slightly to hold me upright, then, as I relaxed, he hugged me good morning.

_Different. Good, mark my words, it's good. But different._

"Good, shall we go down to breakfast now then? I'm pretty hungry-"

"I'll meet you two down there," Fred said suddenly, a glint in his eye that I wasn't sure if I liked, "Enjoy your bacon and eggs."

"Thanks, Fred-" But George had swept me from the common room within a second and I'd lost every concept of moving for myself as he half-carried-half-dragged me down to the fifth floor, before leaving me standing before a huge and pretty ugly tapestry.

"Wait here." He said softly, then jogged up and down the corridor in silence, turning back and forth in silence for a few repetitions.

I stood in confused silence for a couple of minutes, then, as he stopped and turned to return to me, my mouth fell open and I gasped as a door appeared in the wall. George pushed it open with a smile and motioned for me to enter first.

"After you."

"Thanks… I think-" I stepped into the room, then shrieked with delight. It was beautiful. The perfect kitchen, a neat place with a table and two chairs in the centre of the room, and a nice, comfy sofa on the far wall. The smell of already-cooking bacon and toast, and bread and marmite, and _food_ overwhelmed me, and I stumbled forward, gaping at the room.

"You like it?" George asked as he closed the door behind us.

"It's… it's _wow_," I murmured. "I didn't know this place was here…"

"It's something me and Fred found. We call it the room of requirement - you need it, the room provides it. We'd been running from Filch…"

"Somehow, I'm not surprised."

"Good. Sit, I'll make you a bacon sandwich." He half-commanded, and, slightly bemused, I complied.

I watched him for a long few minutes, he was slow and meticulous, deliberately cutting thick wedges of bread and buttering them, then shifting around to turn the bacon. He was the one that planned it. He was the one which looked at all the angles and fixed and broke and thought and considered and… he was the one with fear in his heart.

Fred didn't care about anything. George was the one which took it all to heart, who had to be strong and think it all through. He was the one who didn't take the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-let's-all-go-to-Azkaban style of doing things. He gave it a few seconds to think it through.

I smiled. He'd thought it through, but-

"George, you didn't just ask me to the ball so we weren't… third wheels, right?" He dropped the knife onto the tabletop and turned around to look at me, despair in his eyes.

"Katie, what would make you think that? Merlin, Katie, I've been trying to work up the courage to ask you out for about three months. The Yule Ball's an excuse, I grant you that, but it's an excuse to hold you for about four hours and not be worried that anyone's going to steal you away from me for once-"

He thrust the bacon sandwich in front of me and I looked down at it, then looked up into his eyes.

"I… shouldn't have said that." He blushed bright pink and sat down opposite me, stuffing his own sandwich into his mouth. "Ih wu' roo' oh' me." He swallowed and blushed redder, "It was rude of me."

"No… I'm… I'm sort of flattered." I blushed and he grinned at me, leaning over and taking my hand across the table.

"Good." He grinned for a longer time, and then let me go and settled down to eat our breakfast in silence.

I could live like this forever.

_**-George-**_

"Bu-but… I haven't paid for it yet-"

"It's been paid for."

"But-"

"Miss Bell. It's been paid for. Please, stop panicking-" McGonagall was trying to calm her down and then I was sitting beside her on the three-seater sofa in the middle of the common room, my arms tight around her.

"Katie, someone's paid for it," _And I knew exactly who, exactly what, and exactly why. _"It's alright. I'm sure you'll find a way to thank them. They'll tell you when they want you to know-"

"Who would do it though?" She paused, and I tried to divert her.

"I don't know. Someone that loves you very much?" I shrugged. "A secret admirer?"

"Hah!" she laughed aloud, "Yeah, right, who'd admire me?"

I leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"I have done. But it's not so secret anymore, right?" I couldn't quite fathom what made me speak like that, but she seemed to calm down at the tone and speed of my words. "Alright?"

"Yeah," She nodded and looked up at me. "Okay, George. That's wicked."

I released her and went back to finishing up my potions essay.

-x-

It was Saturday night. I had forty-five minutes until the ball started… I was freaking out - it was ridiculous.

"What the hell do I do, Fred… this is probably the only chance I've got to make sure she really likes me."

"You know where everything is, right?" I nodded.

"Of course, I mean…" There was a short pause as I realised what he was saying, "Yeah, yeah I do." She would be surprised. I'd surprise her, stun her, make her totally amazed.

I ran my hand through my hair, straightened the tie that hung devilishly around my neck, and looked at Fred and Lee. Both were paler than usual, and looked as terrified as I felt.

"Ready, guys?"

"Guhh." Lee spluttered and I smirked.

"Well, that's one way of putting it."

I pulled my tie wonky again, and smiled to myself. Katie'd like me frazzled like this, she'll say I look natural and then fuss over me.

I stepped down the stairs to the common room and sat down, staring into the common-room fire, along with seventy percent of the other guys in the room. Others were pacing, some where looking up at the girls' dorms, and Harry was looking shell-shocked and terrified. I grimaced as Leanne Greene came down the stairs and linked arms with Robbie Gale, disappearing into the abyss of the portrait hole. She was wearing lime green. He was wearing a crimson tie, much like mine. Even with my limited fashion sense, I could tell they were… going to clash, shall we say.

Most of the couples were gone before Katie came down the stairs. I think, in all honesty, that it was only me and Lee in the common room, but I couldn't remember anything, because as soon as Alicia's voice trickled down the stairs, and I turned, I was mesmerised by the vision beside her.

"Come on, Katie, you can take it off… I don't think Pomfrey will _actually _kill you."

"I'll leave it on until I start down to the hall, alright, Lycia?"

"Fine." She stomped, I think, but I couldn't take my eyes off of Katie.

She was wearing a crimson dress, a muggle dress, full length and trimmed with gold lace, her hair let down, curling softly and falling all about her shoulders. I stared at how it sat against her collarbones at the front and was totally stunned by the true beauty of her. Her full curves, slim waist, perfect face, I swallowed and looked down at my feet, feeling wholly unworthy of her.

"George?"

"You're perfect." I couldn't help the words falling from my mouth, and I swallowed, staring into the blackness of my shiny shoes.

"Sorry?"

"Never apologise." My breath was almost coming in pants, I was so stunned by her presence. "You're bloody perfect."

"Th-thank you, George." She blushed, matching the crimson, and I pulled her close to me, desperate to start dancing with her now, even before dinner, before we'd started the party.

"Are you ready?" I said a couple of seconds later, and watched as Lee pulled Alicia out into the corridor.

"Hmm." She paused, "Should I take the brace off?" She indicated her foot, and I nodded.

"If you really want to." She tilted her head. "Would you rather do that?" She nodded.

"Yes." Her hand crept around to clutch my shoulder and I sighed deeply, then put my arm around her to balance her as she pulled her skirt up and I heard the magic-snap of the brace coming off. "_Accio Shoes_." Her shoes flew down the stairway and hovered in front of her, she kicked off the slippers she had been wearing and sat down to put them on.

"Here… let me." I knelt down in front of her and took the shoe from her hand.

"George-" I laid my fingers against the sole of her foot and tickled it gently, she giggled and I took her foot in my hand, slid the beautiful shoe on and cast a comfy-shoe charm on her foot, then smiled and took the other foot.

"You're so bloody weird." She grinned, kicking me lightly. I winked at her and repeated the process with her left foot, then stood up and pulled her to her feet.

"And you're so bloody beautiful."

"Ridiculous." She countered, and I wrapped my arm around her tightly.

"Ridiculous I may be, but I'm not letting you go."

And with that, I began my first steps into what could be a _marvellous _evening.

-x-

I stared at her as she sat, contemplating the menu.

"Made your choice, Katie?" Fred said from somewhere to my left. "Did I mention you look absolutely gorge-OW! Angie, you know you look absolutely gorgeous, but she does too!"

Katie rolled her eyes and smiled down at the dinner plates on the table.

"Pork chops!" she said suddenly, and the food appeared before her as it had done with every other plate around her. "This had better be good, George. I'm going on your recommendation!" She laughed and picked up her knife and fork, jabbing one of them at my half-finished plate.

She ate quickly, quietly and didn't even look up to acknowledge me as I made small talk. Even though I was used to this at most dinners and breakfasts, after Tuesday, where we spent an hour over two bacon sandwiches, I was slightly disappointed I didn't get her talking again. I settled for half-listening to Fred making jokes and finishing his sentences while I watched her eat.

"Ready to dance?" I asked her after the plates had been cleared and she had finished her Butterbeer.

"Dance, George?" I grinned at her. "Like them?" She pointed at Angelina and Fred, the former looked terrified, the latter having a right old time.

I shook my head and she smiled.

"I'll take it slow, if you want?"

"Please." she shook her foot, "I don't think I'd last very long like that."

We took a slower-paced dance at first, though it had no real rhythm and no real form, we just span each other and spent far too long with my hands on her waist and my eyes locked with hers.

By the time it was eleven thirty, Katie was shattered, and didn't seem to be able to dance any more.

"Can we go outside, George? Bit of air to clear my head?"

"Course." I swung my jacket around her shoulders and she looked up at me and smiled, mouthing a _thanks _as she looked away. I took her hand and led her around the rose garden Dumbledore had set up and around to the area by the Herbology greenhouses.

I heard her gasp before I realised exactly where we were, then I looked up and remembered why she was gasping. A thousand tiny firefairies, charmed into paralysis, lined the bushes which hid us from view of the teachers, other students… of everyone else.

I pulled her across to the picnic blanket that lay in the middle of the small 'clearing', and she sat down with the most confused expression on her face.

"You're cute when you're confused." I said.

"Thanks." She nodded, "You're gorgeous when you're planning something."

"So that explains why you're always staring…" I countered quickly and looked away. "Close your eyes, and don't open them… until you hear what you want to hear, OK?"

She shut her eyes and nodded vigorously, her hair bouncing across her shoulders and making her whole body shake.

_**-Katie-**_

I was about to ask him what was going on about thirty seconds into the silence, and then I heard the guitar strings _twang_ lightly. I risked peeking at him through one eye, and couldn't stifle the giggles which surfaced as I saw him staring at the guitar like it had insulted him personally, and I waited and watched as his face went pale, then went bright red and he swore quietly, tuned one of the strings and sighed, then looked up at me - I squeezed my eyes shut and hoped he hadn't seen.

He began to play, a song I knew, but didn't know, something that I had heard and loved - simply because as he played it now, I loved it. And I know he knew I loved the song, that I knew the song, because he was grinning when he slowed the guitar down, and sang alone, without music to back him up, and I opened my eyes to lock them with his.

I could tell from his expression, that he was baring his soul to me and I couldn't let him down. By the end of the song, I was fighting tears of joy, and also tears of laughter - for I'd realised exactly _why _he'd abandoned the guitar. There was a bright red welt on his hand from where his E string had snapped and hit him hard.

We sat in what was a half-awkward-half-companionable silence for a few minutes, his expression growing more and more desperate by the second.

"Is your hand alright?" I asked, taking his hand and turning it over in mine.

"Yeah." He blushed, and we fell into that horrible silence again.

"It was beautiful, George." I said suddenly. "I loved it…"

I felt myself moving and wrapping my arms around him, his eyes went wide as I leaned closer and pressed my lips gently against his.

I realised where I'd heard it - it was his busking song, and a million things suddenly clicked into place.

"You knew I was staring at you, didn't you?" I asked suddenly, leaning away from him, "Last week. You knew-"

"Only when you mentioned the guitar… and… I have another confession."

"You… you did the… you paid for my dress, didn't you?" When he looked up at me and nodded, I felt so cheap and horrible, guilty that I'd taken money from him and not even known that he was the one offering me these beautiful clothes.

"I'm sorry, Katie, but-"

"I can't believe you, George!"

"I just… I couldn't-"

"You couldn't what?"

"I couldn't have you upset." He said, dropping his voice and looking at the red line on his hand.

"What?"

"I saw you in Hogsmeade and you looked so panicked and so terrified… and you looked so… so-" He breathed out heavily and stared at the floor again, "For Merlin's sake, Katie, I felt so bad. I just… I…" He ducked his head slightly, took a breath and looked at me again, locking his eyes with mine.

"You what?"

"I love you so much, Katie." And I was floored. He loved me?

"You what?"

"I love you." He repeated, taking my hand and pulling me up to him, so I was flush against him. "Katie, I-"

"Don't. You don't need to apologise." I lifted my fingers to touch his lips and silence him, "You drive me mad, you know."

"What?" He almost laughed, "I could say the same about you-"

"We're hardly as bad as each other, George," I argued lightly.

"Just shut up and kiss me, if you…" He stopped when I froze, "Do you feel the same?"

I considered it for a couple of minutes and looked everywhere but into his eyes.

"Honestly?" He nodded, mouthing _please _as he did so, "I don't know." Still, as I spoke, my ideas became full formed, my feelings seemed to clarify in my head and I sped up as I spoke, "But I definitely feel more than friendship towards you. I… I know I could never live without you, and I love you, of course I do…" the words fell out of my mouth before I could stop myself and he grinned.

"You love me…" He murmured, "I'm possibly the happiest person in the world," He murmured, pulling me closer into his arms and pressing his lips to mine sloppily, but sweetly.

As one, we pulled back, smiled and got to our feet, then, hand in hand, we strode back up to the castle, ignored the party still going on in the Great Hall and slowly made our way up to the seventh floor.

"Fairy Lights-" George grinned down at me, that phrase having a second meaning now, and as he pulled me down into the common room, and onto one of the sofas.

"Wait…" I grimaced as I sat down, "Can I change into my pyjamas?"

"I'll go too. Back here in five minutes?" He grinned and I nodded at him, rising, kissing him lightly on the cheek and practically running to go and change. It took me three minutes - a new record, to stuff my things away and pull on an old button-up shirt and a pair of pyjama bottoms, the former of which, I believe, used to belong to George.

My fingers slid over the buttons and I grinned as I brushed my hair through as I stepped down the stairs, George directly opposite me on the boys' staircase. I swallowed and grinned as I went to take another couple of steps down to the solid stone floor. I froze on the staircase as Ron and Hermione's shouting match reached fever pitch. We were the only four in the common room, two spectators, staring on in horror, and two aggressors, roaring at each other.

"Well you know what to do next time, don't you?!" Hermione looked close to tears now, "Next time there's a ball, ask me before anyone else does, and _don't_ leave me as a last _resort_!" She turned on her heel and shoved past me on the stairs, in her fury, her hand hit the small of my back and I stumbled forwards and my ankle gave out.

I'd forgotten to put the support back on. I swore loudly, expecting to feel the stone of the floor on my hands in a rather painful and scratched up way, but as I cringed, expecting the impact, I felt someone's arms around me. And I knew it was George.

He lifted me up and straightened my shirt.

"This used to be mine," he grinned, "Looks sexy on you though." I grinned back at him. "It'd look better on my dormitory floor, but hey-" I slid my fingers along his jaw line and pulled him down for a kiss as I stood up straight and he lifted me into the air. My legs locked around him and he pulled me closer, his tongue sliding across my bottom lip, then biting it lightly.

Two very different reactions to tonight - me and George versus Ron and Hermione. And I knew whose night was moving in a far, far better direction.

I pulled away from him and rested my head against his chest, he grinned at me as I pulled away and bit my bottom lip.

"Thank you so much, George."

"For what?" I leaned up to kiss him again and we toppled backwards onto the sofa, and burst out laughing. "Oh, right. I get you now." He nodded and closed the gap between us again.

_**-George-**_

Fred and Angelina burst through the portrait at about quarter to two in the morning. Both of them froze when they saw Katie lying on top of me, her lips against mine and her arms wrapped around me.

"What the hell happened here?"

"We… well… Katie… umm-"

"Fuck off, guys." Katie's voice was muffled into my neck but pretty annoyed and loud at the same time. "George and I want some time alone."

I nodded and Fred grinned brightly at me, winked and pulled Angelina off to some secluded spot elsewhere.

Exactly where was not my problem. Katie was comfy, I was comfy.

Thirty Galleons says you couldn't get the girl.

………_**.**_

_**A/N2: Review, because you've got 7634 words in, and you should be proud =)**_

_**Love ya**_

**_(And HUSTLE REFERENCE!!!) ... oh, and the song? It's called "Autumn Leaves" by Ed Sheeran... i'll find it and post it sometime _**

_**xxx**_


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